Hi, I'm Austin. I was born in 1994, I'm 14 years old. I was born with a deformed left hand and two deformed feet. Growing up in todays modern society is hard and being made fun of at school and being stared at in public sure doesn't help. I hold on to hope that someday I will have a good family and be very sucessful in life. I have low self-esteem most of the time but I'm working on learning to live well and be happy and proud. I cry because of what goes on sometimes but with the support of family and my FEW friends I get through. I know that I'm lucky for not having ABS worse or anything else wrong. I'm thankful to be alive and I know that people will someday respect me.

I have never had any surgeries, never had to wear special shoes and hardly ever have any pain. I even started walking 2 months earlier than a normal baby and the doctors said I wasn't even supposed to walk. I am very fortunate for having ABS the way I have it compared to some of the other stories I have read on this website. I do worry sometimes about being stared at in public (I'm a teenager) but with some help from "Elin" (I emailed her through her story on this website), I got some encouragement. Her words to me were " I think that even though I look diferent on hands and foot I am as good as every one else. I may look diferent but still I am same as everyone else. I can do whatever I want to and so can you."  Having someone who shares my condition say that to me means more than when someone who has perfectly normal limbs says it because they don't know what I'm going through. Your'e site has really helped. There are some really inspirational people on it. Thanks so much.

Below are pictures of Austin's hand and feet.